NASEER BABA- UTHMAN
The Legal unit of the Niger State Police Command came under heavy attack from the chief Judge of Niger State Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik as a result of their refusal to forward Case files of suspects to the Ministry of Justice for Legal advice.
The chief Judge took a swipe against the legal department of the state police command for taking delight in incarcerating inmates in Custodial centers without trial in court.
Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik described the unwholesome attitude of the Investigating police officers (IPO) and the head of the legal department for refusing to transform the case files of suspects to the ministry of Justice for legal advice
The chief judge who was so furious on the ineptitude of the police legal department described it as deliberate act of the police to incarcerate suspects without taken them to court for trial.
” This is a deliberate act to incarcerate these inmates. You keep on giving the same excuses of case files that are yet to be duplicated.
” You keep on repeating the same investigation is ongoing for how long will you complete Investigation This is not fair. You can’t unjustly incarcerate people in prison on the pretense of Investigation is ongoing.Who does that”? Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik furiously queried.
She told the police in the legal unit of the Niger State Police Command to work in partnership with the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Ministry of Justice to bring about speedy administration of Justice.
She described the ineptitude of the legal department of the state Criminal investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) as painful that will no longer be accepted.
Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik who expressed her feelings at the Minna old medium Security Custodial center as part of ongoing visit to custodial centers across the state expressed dissatisfaction with the police act.
Some inmates have been languishing in Correctional Custody for the past five years without their case files been traced to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Ministry of Justice for Legal advice.
She directed the Director of Public Prosecution DPP in the state Ministry of Justice Barrister Mohammed Baba Aliyu Kutigi to expedite action in duplicating case files for speedy administration of Justice.